That upon fuch an Alteration, which would be to the infinite Satisfaction of Numbers of pious and learned Men, and the great Improve, ment of Chriftian Knowledge, Care would be taken by thofe able Perfons whom our Governors in Church and State fhould wifely chufe out for fuch a glorious Work, that the Pfalms in the Liturgy should not be render'd inconvenient for the ufe of Refponfes and Divine Mufick s and that the Epiftles, Gofpels, and Leffons, that are with great Judgment adapted to the various Times, Actions and Wonders of our Saviour's Life, might, abating a few Changes, be preferv'd in their prefent Situation; that compofes a regular Courfe of Devotion in the Church of Eng land, and contributes fo effectually to promote that acceptable, chearfulWorfhip of its steady and pious Communicants.

He fays, that the Writings and Quotations of Authors upon Divine Subjects might easily be accommodated to the new Regulations. The old Concordance, indeed, would be a little incommoded, but not at all render'd ufelefs; and new ones would be framed, which would be Books much more valuable and entertaining, and much better anfwer the End of fuch Compolitions; where not only Words and Phrases disjointed from the Context, and making up no compleat Senfe, might be found: But that the Mysteries of Religion would be placed in one advantageous View, exprefs'd in the most folid moving Eloquence of Scripture Language.

He fays, that the CHRISTIAN INSTITUTES are a Book of this Nature, where the Attributes, Works and Wonders of God are exprefs'd in his awn Words; where the Simplicity and Sublimity are equally to be venerated, and the Pleafire

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and the Improvement equally exquifite and great to every Reader, who is qualify'd by Understand ing and Virtue to difcern and relifh fuch Divine Compofitions.

The Cafe of the improper and abfurd Divifion of Chapters and Verfes in the New Teftament, as he fays, does not require a long Proof; but for the fake of young Students, who have not yet duly confider'd thefe Matters, he produces feveral Inftances of this kind, and makes very judicious, but short Remarks upon them; and adds, that when they have made a farther Advancement in their Studies, their own Obfervation will furnish them with too many.

Then he gives a brief Account of the Tranflations of the Greek Teftament, efpecially of the most common and celebrated Latin ones; in which he makes it appear, that the Sacred Books lie under fome Difadvantages from feveral Faults and Miftakes in thofe well meant, and in general ufeful Performances.

Previous to which he obferves, That the Eaftern Verfions are generally of admirable ufe to exprefs the Force and Emphasis of the infpired Text with great Advantage; that their wonderful Confent and Harmony in all Points of Moment prove the divine Original; and that God was its Author and Protector in a peculiar Manner, appears from their Prefervation in their primitive Purity and Integrity, in defiance of the Rage of Perfecutors and Tyrants, who employ'd all their Power to deftroy and abolish them and of the Malice and wicked Diligence of Hereticks and Blafphemers, who ufed all the Artifices of Cunning and Treachery, to debafe and falfify them. That tho' the Tranflators of thefe ineftimable Volumes are not to be defrauded

defrauded of their juft Praifes, yet that it cannot be deny'd, but fome unwary Readers have conceived a wrong Notion of the Sacred Writers from the Verfions of fome learned Men, who have fometimes miftaken their Senfe, and often weaken'd it by their inadequate and improper rendring: That at the fame time, that this proves the Infirmities and Frailty of fallible Men, it ought to give all judicious and devout Scholars this good Inftruction and Warning, that they study the divine Originals with all poffible Care, and read their Verfions with great Caution. He commends in general the vulgar Latin Tranflation, but condemns the fuperftitious Zeal and Folly of fome of the Roman Church, who prophanely prefer that Tranflation to the Hebrew Original; and gives the following notable Reason why the furious and blind Zealots of the Romish Church depreciate that precious Original, in this unjuft Preference, befides that of their profound Ignorance; to wit, that the Holy Tribunal of the Inquifition cannot proceed fo regularly against People accufed before them of heretical Pravity, becaufe, fays he, the peevifh Hereticks will be apt to appeal to the Hebrew Original, which Plea it may not be safe to admit, because not eafy to over-rule, unless it be in their infallible way. And is it not a great pity, adds he, that fuch a venerable Court of bigh Justice fhould meet with any Obftructions in their most impartial and charitable Proceedings? Or that thofe moft Chriftian Judges and compaffionate Fathers, fhould be check'd from giving a quick Difpatch to Mifcreants and Hereticks, and delivering them to the fecular Arm, with fuch favourable Recommendations, and earnest Interceffions for Mercy? He apprehends that this C 4

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Obfervation may be accounted a Digreffion, but hopes it may be of ufe to his younger Reader, and then proceeds to give Proofs of his Affertions on this Head.

Having animadverted on the Tranflations of Beza, the Vulgate, of Caftalio, &c. he then proceeds to confider our common English Verfion, which he believes to be the beft of the Modern ones of the fame ftanding; but yet particularizes feveral Places in it, in which the Sacred Text is mifreprefented and weaken'd, either as to its Senfe or its Beauty, and vigorous Emphafis, which he purely attributes to the want of that Knowledge in Antiquities, and thofe Advancements in critical Learning, which have been made fince that Time, by a refolute Study of the old Clafficks of Greece and Rome, and a diligent comparing of them with the Language. and Manner of the divine Clafficks; all which he obferves have extremely contributed to the Explication and Ornament of the Sacred Books, and of confequence would give great Advantages to a new Tranflation.

III. His Third Part, is a Difcourfe on the various Readings of the New Teftament: He defines a varions Reading, and accounts for the Occafion of it in the following concife and intelligible Manner. "A various Reading, fays

he, is in general a Transcriber's differing from "the Original Author, either in Writing, or "in Meaning, or Senfe. The first may be af"crib'd to the Copyift's Hafte, Negligence, or "Ignorance; the fecond to Prefumption, Impudence, and a wicked Design.

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"The glorious Originals of the Sacred Canon of the New Teftament, continues he, are

long

"long fince moulder'd away and deftroy'd by "Time. We have remaining a great Number ❝ of precious MSS. which give us the Origi"nals in all their Effentials. The Difference "of thefe from each other occafion what we "call various Readings; which strictly would "be as many as the Differences of fingle Words and Letters are in thofe Books; which would "fwell them to a monftrous and enormous "Heap."

But to clear this matter in a fmall Compafs, and to lay down in one view the Doctrine and Notion of various Readings, for the Convenience of fuch Gentlemen as would not go over thofe tedious Collections and Difputations upon them, which have filled numerous Volumes, he enters into the following Particulars, which he believes contains and accounts for every thing neceffary on this Subject.

Firft, He fhews what are not to be efteem'd various Readings, whereby great Numbers of odd Differences in Books will be ftruck out, and the Sacred Texts clear'd of abundance of Rubbish.

Secondly, He lays down a few Rules to enable his Readers the better to judge of various Lections in the New Teftament, and to pitch upon the true and authentick one.

Thirdly, He gives an Account of three Sorts of various Readings, which have fome Appearance of Truth, and depend on the Authority of fome MSS. and in thofe Places fometimes, whofe Original Reading is not fully afcertain'd and agreed upon; felecting the propereft In

ftances